The instant invention relates to a latching mechanism for releasably joining and locking together two separate modules located on a flat surface, and more particularly to an eccentric cam in such a latching mechanism, the latching mechanism being manually operable in modular office equipment.
It is the current trend to offer office equipment in modular form so that users thereof can put together the particular combination of features that they desire. It therefore becomes important that the various modules have the capability of rigidly locking to each other and being easily releasable.
The prior art is replete with various latching mechanisms which releasably join and lock together two separate modules which are located on a flat surface. However, virtually all of these prior art latching mechanisms involve more than one motion in order to join or separate the two modules, or if only one motion is required, the lock obtained thereby lacks the rigidity required in certain applications.
The foregoing problems associated with locking mechanism for modules, and particularly office machine modules, were overcome in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,207 issued May 21, 1985 to Pitney Bowes Inc., assignee of the instant invention. U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,207 provides a latching mechanism that rigidly locks the modules together in one continuous motion and similarly provides an easy release of the one module from the other in one continuous motion. The operator joining the modules together is intended to feel the accomplishment of latching so that its occurrence is confirmed. However, in manufacturing reality the two modules each have tolerances which can and do effect the feel and reliability of the joining of the modules; it has been discovered that large tolerances are able to defeat the latching ability of the two modules.
The instant invention therefore provides an adjustable, eccentric cam for the latch in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,207 which prevents large tolerances derogating from latching capability.